Monday, March 25, 2013

Today CLR takes a deeper look at the Maui single jet lighter by Colibri. Colibri offers this lighter in an array of color options including red/black (pictured), white, granulate silver, granulate black, lacquer black, blue/black, and finally orange/black. First impression of the Maui is a lighter that quite comfortable in the hand. Also, aesthetically the lighter is interesting, with multiple finishes. On this version the red plastic is transparent, making for an excellent fuel gauge window. On the opposite side is a red anodized oversized pusher.

The main body of the Maui is done in a black granulate textured finish. This finish is best seen in the picture below. One Depression of the pusher pulls back the lid and ignites the jet torch. A CLR favorite feature for cigar lighters. Above you can see the simple single jet, it does emit a nice blue flame. Colibri prominently placed their logo on top of the single action lid. No way to miss that logo everytime you go to fire up your favorite stick.

The bottom of the Maui has an easy flip down 8mm cigar punch. There are times when I do not have my favorite V-cutter available and it is nice to have a lighter with a built in punch. As with most Colibri's, the lighter only has a two year warranty. The Maui has a suggested retail of $49, it can be found for a bit less with a standard internet search. The lighter is a bit on the high side, though, should keep you roasting cigars for a decent amount of time.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Xikar's Tech cigar lighter is an impressive little powerhouse. The Tech lighter is clearly falling in line to compete with Blazer's Little Buddy. Conceptually, they are rather similar, but enough of a difference to stand alone. The Tech is offered in single, double, or triple torch options. Three colors are available to choose from, black (pictured), blue, and clear. The Tech for todays review has a single jet torch flame that burns a nice hot blue. Noticeably different from the rest of Xikar's lineup is the lighters mostly plastic body. The pro to this is keeping the cost down, while delivering a reliable lighter. A single depression of the pusher opens the lid and ignites the torch. CLR is a gigantic fan of single thumb action lighters. The Tech is very comfortable in the hand, dare to say just about the perfect size.

Xikar Tech Top Open

Xikar designed the Tech to require fewer refills by including a huge fuel tank. The lighter being a translucent plastic gives the Tec superior fuel gauge viewing. The fuel adjustment wheel is quite large, it takes up the entire bottom of the lighter for easy adjusting. Being plastic, CLR does not think aesthetically it will visually look good over time, showing scratches and wear easily. That said, the Tech does come with Xikar's no proof of purchase lifetime warranty we all have come to love. A good piece of mind, that is worth the extra buck. Overall, this should make for a great utility lighter for $29.99.